"Hey," Silence filled the room except for the constant beeping of the heart monitor. "Listen, I know I haven't been the nicest to you over the years. And I wanted to apologize. I just couldn't accept the truth."

Brown eyes stared at the pale face. "You have beautiful skin. Of course, that's not a surprise considering how much time you spend on it. Beautiful hair too. It's always so perfect. That day is the first time I saw it not perfect." He choked up on the last sentence, a tear rolling down his face. The event that got him in here two weeks ago wiped away the normal jock superiority complex.

"We beat them up for you. You were already unconscious when we got there, so us guys beat them up. Artie even joined us." A short harsh laugh escaped his lips. "He ran over them and broke one of their legs. I broke that guy's nose. And a few of his ribs. Possibly punctured a lung. But that's okay, we were just trying to protect you."

He sighed and looked down at the side of the bed. "The doctors say those bastards damaged your voice box. Apparently when you wake up you might not have a voice. Won't be able to sing anymore." A sudden movement made him jerk his head up to see wide and frightened green eyes. Kurt was sitting up in his bed, his mouth forming words but nothing came out.

"It's okay, don't try to speak." Puck hit the nurse call button while he tried to calm Kurt down. The nurse came in quickly followed by all of Glee. Mercedes walked straight up and hugged Kurt.

"Are you okay?" Quinn asked from the end of the bed.

Kurt mouthed 'I have no voice.' He then mouthed 'And this gown is atrocious!' and Puck laughed making everyone stare at him.

"What? He lost his voice and yet he's still complaining about how horrible he looks in a hospital gown. It's funny." He shrugged lightly.

"You know what he's trying to say?" Mr. Schue asked.

"Yeah, I had a lot of ear infections when I was a kid and couldn't hear well until I was six. I taught myself how to read lips and sign language. I could teach you if you wanted." He addressed the last part to Kurt who timidly nodded.

The doctor walked in. "Well, you're definitely loved, aren't you?" He smiled at Kurt who smiled and nodded back. "I hate to break up the happy moment but I need to do a full exam so if you guys wouldn't mind leaving for a bit." Everyone started leaving with promises to be back really soon until the nurse stopped them. Kurt was practically yelling.

'Puck, don't leave. I can't talk to them but I can talk to you.' Kurt mouthed.

"He wants me to stay and translate."

"That's okay with me." The doctor said, sealing the deal.

The next week Kurt returned to school and people quickly noticed that someone else was attached to his side other than Mercedes. Puck had become his unofficial translator. At lunch all the Glee kids sat together to make sure Kurt was okay. He only stumbled on a few words.

"He is a fast learner." Puck said responding to Rachel's query on how he got so good so fast. "I think it's from memorizing dance moves for so many years. Not to mention I have practically lived at his house for the last week to help him learn."

"You have not." Kurt signed.

"My mom was surprised to see me this morning."

"Your mom is always surprised to see you. I swear she forgets you exist sometimes." Puck looked at him in shock.

"Be nice to my mom!"

"I am so lost." Finn muttered.

"You two sound like old friends," Artie said, "its odd."

"We've connected because he's the only one I can talk to." Whenever Kurt spelled out a word Puck automatically supplied the sign for it while still saying what Kurt was signing. Then the bell rang, interrupting their conversation.

"I don't have to go; I missed the last three weeks anyway."

"Puck, they need you. I'll be fine."

"I don't want to remind you that you can't join us."

"I might be able to help by watching. I could give you guys' hints."

"If you're sure."

"I am." Puck shrugged and walked into the auditorium. They were both greeted with smiles as Kurt went and sat in the seats. While watching them Kurt noticed how easily Puck moved. He guessed it came from having to move to talk when he was a kid, just like Puck said he was such a fast learner because he worked so hard on dancing for so many years. It didn't take long for Kurt to realize he was looking more at Puck than at anyone else, even his long time crush Finn.

Oh God! Do I like Puck? Kurt thought. Puck caught his gaze, winked and heat flooded Kurt's groin. Yup, defiantly like him. I just have to ignore it. Can't be falling in love with the straight guy who's translating for you.

Two weeks later and everything was back to normal except Kurt's inability to talk and a few things related to that. For instance, today, a Friday, Puck was getting a room at Kurt's house. And so was his mother. It was Kurt's dad's idea. He thought, since Puck was spending all his free time at Kurt's anyway, and because they had two bedrooms to spare, the Puckermans should move in. Puck's mother loved it because it was closer to her work, and Puck loved it because he was closer to Kurt. Though he would never admit that.

Kurt threw open the double doors and Puck sucked in an amazed breath. The room was amazing, even with the boxes of his stuff stacked randomly around the room. The room was huge, and through a large archway and up a stair it had another large room. And a bathroom and walk in closet.

"I think I love your dad." Puck said, looking around with wide eyes. He heard the light breathy sounds of Kurt laughing and squashed the sad feeling in him about how much he missed his real laugh. He stepped up to the second room and walked over to the king sized bed. He flopped onto the bed and groaned. It was memory foam.

Kurt joined him, sitting cross legged next to Puck's head. "I have one more thing to show you." Puck raised his eyebrows in question. "The basement." Puck nodded and followed Kurt down the stairs. It was a pretty impressive basement but Kurt pulled him away from that and to more double doors. He pulled out a key and unlocked them. They opened to a room that was so long Puck had to walk into it to see the other end. It was filled with instruments. Guitars, cellos, violins, drums, basses, a huge piano and a few things Puck couldn't see well from the entrance.

"Whoa, this is amazing." Puck walked up to the piano and sat down. "Can I..?" Kurt nods and Puck places his hands on the keys. Complex classical music filled the oddly shaped room. When he finished he looked back and laughed at Kurt's amazed expression and gave a fake bow. "C'mon, I'm hungry."

Three in the morning the next day and Puck woke up hungry. He slipped on his glasses instead of putting his contacts in and padded down to the kitchen. He was on his second slice of pizza when someone skidded into the room. Puck turned to see a crying frightened Kurt standing in the entrance to the bar. Without thinking Puck got up and enfolded him in a hug.

The main reason Puck moved in was because of the nightmares. For some reason Puck was the only one capable of calming Kurt down after his brain takes him through the beating over and over. Kurt pulled away long enough to sign "It was worse this time. Someone tried to save me but got killed."

"Who tried to save you Kurt?" I singular finger poked his chest. "Me?" Kurt nodded. "And I was killed?" Another nod. "Then you woke up and I wasn't in my room, I'm so sorry Kurt." He just burrowed farther into Puck's embrace. "We should go back to sleep." A nod but he didn't loosen his hold. Puck sighed and scooped up the smaller teen who probably would have squeaked if he had a voice.

He quickly walked up to Kurt's room and tucked him in. When he tried to leave Kurt snapped frantically, their signal to get each other's attention. Puck turned.

"Okay," Puck flicked off the light and walked over to the bed, stripping down to his boxers and stacking his clothing on a nearby chair with his glasses at the top, knowing Kurt hated having clothing on his floor. He crawled in and lay on his back and only had to wait a few seconds before Kurt settled himself on Puck's chest with his arms wrapped tightly around his torso. Puck wrapped his arms around the smaller frame and refrained from sighing in contentment, because he is WAY more manly then that.

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